Education

M.S. Cognitive Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 1987. 1989 -1984: Research Assistant to James F. Voss, Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Select Courses Taught at Miami University

The Psychology of Language and Thought Special Topics: Computer Assisted Learning

Undergraduate Summer Scholars

The Internet and the Election: An Interdisciplinary Exploration

What is Human Nature? Writing Across the Disciplines

Advanced Seminar: Information, Knowledge, & Wisdom

Digital Storytelling

The Self

Research Interests

Including a book, book chapters, and peer-reviewed journal articles I have over 70 publications. I have been a Primary Investigator or Co-PI on almost 20 grants totaling over $4 million. My research is about higher-order cognition, the way people think, reason, solve problems, make decisions, and develop arguments. Currently, I am conducting research on how people make medical decisions pertaining to genetic mutations and breast cancer risk. Other strands of research are about probability judgments and the psychology of written argumentation. I have had funding by the National Cancer Institute to study medical decision making, and create an intelligent tutoring system to help women decide about genetic testing for breast cancer risk. I am interested in the psychology of writing and conceptual learning. I am especially interested in cognitive technologies and the potential of emerging digital technologies for education and psychological interventions. I have conducted psychological research on reasoning and argumentation, interdisciplinary writing and thinking, judgment and decision-making, analogical reasoning, Web-based interventions, and the assessment of learning and teaching. Along with colleagues I have received federal grant funding from the National Cancer Institute, U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences, and the National Science Foundation; and corporate and foundation funding from Proctor & Gamble, Rise Inc., and Blind Squirrels. A report of the impact of my research, as measured by citations, can be found at http://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=RbfS-UoAAAAJ

Awards

2006 Campbell Teaching Award. $6000 from Miami University for Social and Cognitive Technologies from an International Perspective.

2002 Campbell Teaching Award. $3250 from Miami University for Developing the Integrative Seminar.

Contact Us

Department of Psychology

The Department of Psychology blends a foundation in the major areas of psychology with other disciplines in the liberal arts to give you a broad range of skills, knowledge, and experiences. In our department, there are many opportunities to get involved with research, teaching, and community service. Both a BA and PhD are offered.